Culinology - June 2017 - 14

INGREDIENT trends

Lemony millet pudding with
caramelized grapes.
©Maria Speck, Simply Ancient Grains

"Millet is one of
the most sustainable
crops," said Lindsey
Cunningham, co-founder
and chief operating officer of
RollinGreens Food, Boulder, Colo. "It grows
great here in Colorado, and has one of the
lowest water requirements of any grain crop.
We believe it is one of the most underappreciated grains and will really gain the notoriety it
deserves in the next five to 10 years."

"Creamy desserts are a perfect
foil to showcase millet."
Maria Speck, author of "Simply ancient grains"
Since 2015, the company has been producing Millet Tots for the retail sector. The frozen
tots are a source of protein, vitamins and minerals, unlike their traditional potato counterpart.
"They are our version of potato tots but
made with an organic ancient whole grain,"
Ms. Cunningham said. "Millet on its own has
a slight bitter taste, but it absorbs flavor. It's
a great canvas for ingredients such as garlic,
basil and chilies."
Food writer Maria Speck, author of "Simply
ancient grains" and "Ancient grains for modern meals," agreed that millet absorbs flavor.
"You can cook it in a variety of liquids, everything from milk to broth," she said. "It can be
a savory side or a dessert.

"Creamy desserts
are a perfect foil to
showcase millet.
They provide enough
cover to hide the small
grain from plain view
yet plenty of appeal to
highlight millet's delicate
texture."
To make a dessert similar to rice
pudding that can be topped with fruits and
nuts, she suggested cooking one part millet
with two parts water, and then adding about
two-thirds part whole milk. Cook to a creamy
consistency.
Millet in dehulled whole form may add a
crunch that is maintained throughout most
processes. This is true even in bread baking,
which typically adds enough water to soften
most grains.
"This 'millet crunch' can be advantageous
in products such as bars, baked good toppings, and even breadings and batters," said
Vanessa Brovelli, manager of product development, Bay State Milling, Quincy, Mass.
"Millet also has the unique ability to pop when
heated if the hull is not removed."
For applications that require a smoother
mouthfeel, whole millet may be boiled and
then added to an application, or millet flour
can be used. Sprouting millet can alter the
water holding capacity as well as the flavor
and may be an interesting choice for variety
and nutrition in several applications.
"I've been hoping that millet would take off,
since it cooks quickly, is mild and sunny yellow, and is easy to grow domestically," said
Minneapolis-based Robin Asbell, chef and
author of "The whole grain promise." "Photoconscious operators would do well to think
about color on the plate. That yellow is a fantastic backdrop for colorful vegetables, or as
a bed for main courses."

Mighty farro

An ancient grain version of
tots for the retail sector are
made with millet.
©RollinGreens

14 |

Culinology | JUNE 2017

"Farro is starting to get on more plates
thanks to the popularity of Italian food," said
Ms. Asbell. "Farro is easy to make ahead of
time, making it perfect for food service. Unlike
noodles, farro can sit in hot soup for hours, or
bake in a casserole with no loss of character."
Farro, which also goes by such names as
einkorn, emmer and spelt, varying by country
of origin, is part of the wheat family. Because

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